Scent
by DrKCooper
Summary: Jane couldn't settle on a new scent after she abandoned lavender on Maura's behalf.


_Disclaimer: All recognizable_ Rizzoli & Isles _characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners including, but not limited to Janet Tamaro, TNT or Tess Gerritsen. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fan fiction story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No financial gain is associated with the publishing of this story. No copyright infringement is intended._

 _Author's Note: This has been sitting on my hard drive for some time. Thought it was time to finish it off. The scene with Maura and Hoyt, I believe, is from "I'm Your Boogie Man" (01x08). Feel free to correct me if I am wrong. Enjoy! -dkc_

 **Scent**

It began after Hoyt.

Not the first time. Not even the second time. It was that third time.

Jane's first encounter with Hoyt, that dark case that found the detective pinned to the floor of a basement with scalpels through the palms of her hands, had forced changes in her life, but few quite as intimate as the fragrance she wore on her body.

It became apparent to Jane during her second encounter with Hoyt, he who sat behind bars while an apprentice did his dirty work that he was aware of how she smelled. "Lavender and fear," he'd said.

 _That bastard_.

It was her third run in with Hoyt that forced her hand.

…

Dr. Maura Isles refused to allow her best friend to sit down with that monster. She refused to give him the satisfaction. She prepared herself psychologically and emotionally to take the detective's place. She wasn't ready for the words Jane spoke as the two women were meeting privately in the M.E.'s office beforehand.

"Wear this," she had said.

Jane Rizzoli offered Maura a bottle of what appeared to be body spray. The doctor's confused look prodded further information out of the detective.

"It will give you the upper hand," she had explained. "He will think you are me. The surprise will knock him off his game for a few seconds."

Maura did as she was told, spraying her left wrist before touching it to the other and then to the pulse points of her neck. She was enveloped in a scent she had come to associate with Jane alone. It offered her strength.

What she hadn't anticipated in that moment months ago was how it would eventually affect her friend. Jane had watched the footage of Maura in the interrogation room with Hoyt that day. She had tortured herself, watching it on a loop. What bothered her most was the very thing she had set into action—Hoyt's mistaking the doctor for his nemesis Jane Rizzoli. She couldn't stand the way Hoyt repeated the words about lavender and fear to Maura. She was disgusted with herself. She wanted to strangle him with her scarred hands.

…

Maura Isles was a perceptive woman. She noticed it immediately.

The lavender was gone.

At first it appeared as though Jane had abandoned the use of body spray altogether. And she had. There was something about perfume or, in Jane's case, body spray that was undeniably feminine. Even Jane liked it. The absence of a scent was soon remedied.

It began with a light vanilla. Maura found it subtle to the point of not being able to distinguish the vanilla from almond or amber.

In their personal and professional interactions, there were few times Maura could get close enough to appreciate the sweet aroma. It was in a rare moment of intimacy that she finally pinpointed the vanilla tone.

They had been sitting on Jane's bed going over case files in the middle of the night when she figured it out. She was exhausted, they both were. She threw her hands up and collapsed on the bed in frustration. The detective chuckled at her before putting aside her files and lying down beside the dark blonde. Jane surprised her by tilting her head, resting it on Maura's shoulder. It was the perfect moment and with it came the realization that it was vanilla with its caramel undertones that had been trailing her friend for weeks.

"Is that vanilla?" She asked.

"Hmm?" Jane opened her eyes and tried to make sense of the question.

"Your perfume," she explained.

"Oh," the brunette seemed embarrassed. "Yeah, well, just a body spray."

Not wanting to further the embarrassment, Maura let the topic drop. What she didn't know was how Jane perceived that silence. Somewhat self-conscious, she had read Maura's comment as that of another woman judging her for choosing something as simple, even adolescent, as vanilla.

It would be the last day she wore that particular body spray.

…

A few days after their conversation on Jane's bed, Maura noticed it again—she had abandoned the vanilla. What the good doctor took Jane's reaction to be was indecision. It's difficult to choose another scent when one is accustomed to or has worn the same for years. She had no idea it was something she'd said that brought about the change.

Not unlike the vanilla, Dr. Isles spent weeks trying to pinpoint what it was that Jane was wearing. She was certain she had never tried it or even tested it when purchasing her own perfume. There were hints of sandalwood and rose.

She didn't want to come across as too inquisitive of such a thing and therefore was pleased when at Sunday dinner Angela noticed it as well and asked her daughter if it was the Bath & Body Works spray she had given her for Christmas. She elaborated on the scent and Maura made a note to look it up.

Jane seemed quite uncomfortable with the conversation and was squirming in her seat. Maura found it quite endearing.

…

Over a month later, Jane once again made the decision to try something different. The detective had grown tired of tones she didn't feel suited her. Of course, like the last two changes, the thought of the event that brought on this particular trek of self-discovery came to mind. It made her angry. She was angrier with herself for her role in it than Hoyt for what he had actually said to Maura and the way he looked at her. She was furious with her cop instincts for betraying the very human instinct of protecting a friend.

Maura was more to her than a friend, though. She was beginning to see the truth in this.

Her next choice felt like something Maura herself might have chosen. It melded green tea and blackberries. She had never found anything quite like it. Herbal yet subtle, it was all of the things Maura constantly told her were healthy—no preservatives, no needless chemicals, no dyes.

She smiled at the thought of what her friend would say about it if they discussed such things. If _Jane_ discussed such things.

…

This time it was nearly impossible for Dr. Isles to sniff out the combinations. It nearly made her crazy. She ended up peeking in Jane's bathroom drawer, nearly giving herself hives at the thought of how to explain what she was doing if caught, and smiled at the detective's wise choice.

One Friday night at the Dirty Robber began the process of hunting once again. They sat side-by-side, drinking and laughing with their colleagues, their friends. Maura's hair was up, her neck accentuated by a posh set of pearls. The perfect hair twist also allowed for her pulse point to be revealed. No longer was Jane easily smelling the mint of the honey blonde's shampoo, she was getting the distinct fragrance of a long-worn perfume.

 _God, I'm losing it_ , she thought.

She had found herself leaning in to get a bit more of the scent and when she did so she could see the curiosity etched on Maura's face. She had no way to explain it. She was immensely fascinated with how Maura smelled. And she found herself wondering if the pulse points of her neck and wrists were the only places her extremely attractive friend placed the liquid.

That last thought embarrassed Jane. Why was she thinking such a thing? This was Maura, but then again that was exactly why it mattered. This was Maura.

"Jane?" Maura's voice brought her out of her head. "Are you okay?"

There was a hint of understanding on the doctor's face. She seemed to know what Jane had been doing. She didn't seem to mind, either.

As the evening progressed, Jane's embarrassment dissipated and she worked hard to forget that look Maura had given her. It had caused her heart to flutter; if she was honest with herself it also made her consider the possibility of something more with her best friend.

They were buzzed when they left the bar, a hard week with two hard cases ending with a generous amount of alcohol and the right amount of camaraderie. The ride home was unexpected.

When they pulled up to Jane's stoop, the detective hesitated to get out of the backseat of the cab. She took a deep breath. Her breath caught when Maura's hand came to grasp her own. The doctor offered that sly, knowing smile she had earlier that night.

"It's Kai," she spoke softly. "The perfume oil. As opposed to the shampoo and conditioner."

Jane attempted to stifle a smile. She couldn't believe how fast her heart was beating at something as inane as a revelation about perfume and the touch of Maura's hand. It was ridiculous. And yet incredibly exciting.

She was on the sidewalk when she finally allowed herself to smile.

Detective Jane Rizzoli was nothing if not curious. She could easily become fixated and on the matter of Maura's perfume she was certainly that. 24 hours after learning the name, she found herself on the Kai website.

While it was far more expensive than the body sprays Jane purchased, it was reasonably priced in comparison to what she might have expected of her well-heeled friend. Tropical. Yes, that was exactly how to describe the floral combinations she had come to associate with the doctor. Even in the morgue Maura smelled exceptional. Always had. Now she knew.

What was the point of knowing? Jane wasn't sure. She had always liked knowing everything about the doctor that she could get out of her, but this seemed different. It seemed to go back to the intimacy of a personal scent. It touched the places of Maura's skin that Jane was becoming increasingly taken by.

She slammed her laptop lid and stood from her couch where she had conducted this silly investigation.

Whatever the reason for her interest in Maura's perfume, she felt some strange need to up her game. Bath & Body Works was great, but it hardly compared to Kai. And while she was never going to spend that kind of money on her cop's salary, she still wasn't drawn to perfume. Body spray was more her style.

…

Four days later when the case she'd been working was finally wrapped, Jane did something so unlike her even she couldn't help but chuckle at its absurdity.

Jane Rizzoli walked into Victoria's Secret.

Visiting Faneuil Hall, a place she usually despised for anything but food and only then on non-weekends when it wasn't packed with both Bostonians and tourists, she had a plan. She knew what she wanted and wouldn't be long. Unfortunately, she had no idea how out of place she would feel. She nearly turned immediately around when she saw the front-of-store displays.

An employee likely trained in responding to that very panicked look asked if she needed help finding anything and Jane responded with a faux confidence. She was shown to the fragrances.

She found a very grown-up version of vanilla, but was reminded of Maura's comment that night on Jane's bed and thought better of it. Amber was a bit too rich for her taste, too similar to musk. Strawberries and champagne made her blush. It put in her head the image of feeding Maura strawberries.

 _This is getting out of hand, Rizzoli_.

She blindly chose something based on its notes of vanilla, pear and something else she couldn't quite place. She paid quickly and ignored the cashier's question of whether she needed anything else, perhaps something to surprise her special someone. A quick escape was her priority.

The trademark bag went in her bedroom as soon as she stepped into her apartment. She tried to forget the experience.

…

Maura stood in front of her bathroom mirror as she finished curling her hair. She was, as usual, going to make them late if she didn't hurry. Tonight she and Jane would be attending an art gallery opening at the request of Constance Isles who was out of the country and wouldn't be able to attend. She was afraid Jane would be restless and ornery all night in the setting.

 _Jane_ , she thought. _Why am I feeling this nervous about an outing with Jane?_

When Jane arrived to pick her up, Maura was immediately taken with the dark indigo shirt Jane was wearing with her tailored black, narrow-striped slacks. Her eyes were dark, her hair wild.

"Wow, you look gorgeous," she didn't second-guess her reaction. "That color suits you."

A slight blush colored Jane's face both as she accepted the compliment as she took in the doctor's attire. The low plunge of her blouse was all the detective could see.

"I..." Jane couldn't speak.

"Shall we go?" Maura attempted to bail out her stammering friend.

Jane nodded.

All evening Maura found herself mesmerized by the latest in Jane's long line of body spray choices. This one, well, she knew it. She'd sampled it on Newbury Street. When she remembered where, she felt a distinct flush forming across her chest, neck and face. The thought of the woman beside her standing in Victoria's Secret was the stuff fantasies were made of.

She leaned over, pretending to get a better look at someone nearer Jane and took another subtle breath of this glorious and fitting scent.

"Tease," she stated.

Unclear why that particular word had come from Maura's wine-tinted lips, Jane did everything in her power to keep her jaw from dropping.

"What?" her voice cracked mid-word.

"That particular spritz is called Tease," she elaborated. "I sampled it once. It took me a few minutes to place it."

The thought that Maura knew the scent did far less to accelerate her heartbeat than the fact that her friend now knew she had either gone to the store to purchase it or browsed their website. It was so unlike Jane. And in this strange place they seemed to inhabit of late, it was bordering on sexual.

"Oh, yeah."

That's all she managed to say. She was relieved when the inquisitive doctor didn't press. There was something equally comforting about the way the dark blonde linked their arms.

An extra glass of wine calmed Jane's nerves and she found herself enjoying the evening once again. She watched the ease with which Maura spoke to old friends of her mothers and discussed art at length. She found watching Maura far more fascinating than the art. She did just that. Her eyes never seemed to leave the doctor.

…

It had been a long night at the gallery and while Maura had been in her element, Jane was a Rizzoli through and through. She always felt a bit uncomfortable at these events, but she was thrilled whenever Maura asked her to be her...her what? Guest? Plus one? Date?

 _Nah_ , she thought. _It wasn't a date_.

"Thank you for accompanying me, Jane," Maura smiled gratefully at the detective as she maneuvered through late night traffic in downtown Boston.

"Of course," she answered without taking her eyes off the road.

"I know that it isn't your, what is it you call it? Scene?" she turned her body in the passenger seat.

When Jane continued looking at the road ahead, the doctor placed a gentle hand over one that held tight to the steering wheel. This got Maura her friend's undivided attention. She looked into those hazel eyes that seemed to both excite and confound her.

"You're welcome, Maura," she smiled.

For as long as was feasible given the state of traffic, Jane held the look that was overflowing with a variety of feelings. If not for the car horn behind her she may have stared into that hazel grip for much longer. What did it mean? Neither was entirely sure.

It wasn't unusual for Jane to walk Maura into the house after an evening out. It wasn't even unusual for Jane to linger a bit while they rehashed the day. What was unusual was for Jane's nerves to be threatening her speech and control.

"You are welcome to stay," Maura said as they approached the door.

"I don't trust Tommy alone overnight in my apartment. One day I'm going to find he's brought home an exotic dancer and used my bed for his own disturbing purposes," Jane groaned at the thought. "I'll be glad when he meets someone and settles down."

Maura snickered at the image and at Jane's discomfort over it. She unlocked the door, entering with confidence that Jane would follow.

"Shouldn't someone get some use out of your bed?" Dr. Isles deadpanned.

Jane stopped in her tracks, the door only half closed, her back to Maura. She whipped around to find a grin on the doctor's face. It was one of the better jokes she had pulled off and the perpetually single detective was not amused.

"That's...that's..." she couldn't come up with a word for it, but her whole body squirmed at the thought.

"True?" Maura turned around after a sly smile, fetching them bottles of water from her fridge.

"That's just mean," Jane came to the island and sat down, a dejected look on her face.

Now chuckling, Maura turned around, handed the bottle of water to her friend and looked directly at Jane until she smiled back.

"And to think, earlier you were calling me a tease!" Jane took a drink of water to mask blush appearing on her face at the obvious flirtation.

It was Maura's turn to be surprised. There was no doubt in her mind now—they were flirting. She wasn't always the quickest person to catch on to such things. With she and Jane, everything seemed to straddle the line between friendly and flirtation.

Jane had downed her entire bottle of water while the two of them had been in silence. She could feel Maura's eyes on her and it was causing her body to warm from head to toe.

"I should get going," Jane's voice seemed a touch lower than it had a moment prior. "Maybe _you_ have a male dancer in the works for yourself tonight."

There was the notorious Rizzoli smirk.

As Jane turned toward the door she was hit with yet another zinger.

"Who said the dancer would be male?" came the steady confidence of Maura Isles.

A stutter step and a lack of response were not lost on the doctor.

She moved in the direction of the door. When Jane reached the door finally, she turned around to say goodnight and was startled to find Maura had walked right up behind her. She couldn't hear the tapping of Maura's heels on the floor for the whooshing sound of blood thumping in her ears.

"Oh," she tried to mask her surprise. "Goodnight, Maur."

"Jane?"

Eye contact established, little space between them and the hammering of hearts, Jane nodded slightly to the question in the way Maura spoke her name. Unexpectedly, Maura leaned in and her face seemed destined to collide with the cop's collarbone until it lifted ever slowly from neck to ear. It was suddenly apparent what the M.E. was doing. She was taking in Jane's scent.

A soft, low and sultry voice spoke words that made Jane Rizzoli weak in the knees.

"This fragrance," she said. "Keep it. This is the one."

She then pressed a gentle kiss to the stunned woman's cheek and retreated to offer space. A smile was on her face as she watched her friend's mind reel. One subtle smirk was all Maura needed to confirm that they were on the same page.

Jane Rizzoli slowly opened the door and walked through it as if walking on air.

 _-finis-_


End file.
